A modern twist on Jesus’ parable

My wife Helen owns numerous sets of earrings.

She usually wears silver hoops, her favourite.

During the winter, she takes her dog Tyler into the back garden to play in the snow.

One sunny cold winter afternoon in 2015, after an exhausting backyard playtime, Helen and Tyler returned to their cozy spot by their living room fireplace.

Helen reached up to adjust her earrings and touched a naked ear. She rushed outside, searched through the snow and checked around the garden … no silver hoop.

Back inside, she rummaged through the house, under the sofa cushions and even in her jacket pockets … nothing.

She was distressed! She placed the surviving earring in her jewelry box, just in case the lost would be found.

Winter turned to spring and with summer came the necessity to mow the ever-growing grass.

One scorching hot July afternoon, Helen’s son-in-law was mowing the lawn when he found a muddy dirty earring.

A smiling Gerald called Helen, inquiring if this might be the lost silver hoop. Of course, it was!

Helen thoroughly cleaned the earring and retrieved the matching one from her jewelry box.

There was great joy and celebration in Helen’s world as her favorite earrings once again bejeweled her daily attire.

Life continued without any earring catastrophes until January 2018.

The Sunday closest to her birthday found her, as usual, worshipping in her parish church. Later at home, glancing in the mirror she noticed one silver hoop earring was missing.

She rushed back to the church, searched the worship centre and the coffee hour room.

The staff promised to keep their eyes open and notify her if it was found.

Sadly, Helen returned home and placed the other earring in her jewelry box, again – just in case.

Rachel found the earring shortly after Helen reported it missing and placed it in the church kitchen. Later another staff person moved it to a secure place in the church office, where it stayed for three months.

On Tuesday, April 10, 2018, Hollis was at the church and Rachel mentioned the earring. At home he said to Helen, “I have a gift for you.”

It was the lost earring!

Once again, the earrings were reunited. Helen said, “My silver hoops have begun their third life!”

Twenty centuries earlier, Jesus told a parable about a woman who had lost a valuable commodity. She had 10 gold coins, which represented all her wealth, including her retirement fund.

One day when she could find only nine, she became very distraught. In the middle of the afternoon, she lit the lamp and searched everywhere, even sweeping each corner of every room of her humble abode.

Just as her hope was almost lost, she spied the gold coin stuck in the most unusual place.

She was so overjoyed that she ran throughout her small village, shouting her good news and inviting people to celebrate with her. “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost!”

Helen shared her good news with her Facebook friends. “Rejoice with me, for I have found the earring that was lost.”

Over 75 friends joined in the celebration; some commented …
“I wonder if they will have nine lives.”
“The prodigal earrings!”
“Good story.”
“Happy for you that your pairs are reunited!”
“God is good.”
“Yay!!!! So glad to hear something sooo precious to your heart was recovered!!”

Jesus ended his story with this reminder “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The same is true today.